Mold, and Buckling Foundation

I just bought my house 4 months ago, and after the 12 days of rain in NJ I have found that my house has some problems with water in the basement. OMG what a surprise. After about 12 days of rain, we woke to about 3-5 inches of water in our basement that we thought was a dry one, (no mention of a water problem from sellers, then neighbors started filling me in, the whole neighborhood has a problem since new contruction of a school). Since then, we wanted to make sure all was really safe, so we started to take down the drywall from the walls and tile on the floors. WOW, we found black mold, and parts of our foundation slightly buckled. We are planning to get the Watergaurd system to at least take care of the water coming in, but not sure what to do about the foundation buckling yet. We also need to do some grading on one side of the house. Problem is that we were told that this is not the right time of year to start putting soft soil around our house or taking away any soil. Anyway, my first question is this, what are the cons about the Watergaurd system. There have to be some. I have a problem with the fact the water is still coming through the foundation. I realize the concept is that the water will come in and then pump right back out, but what about more problems with mold in the foundation. Which leads to my second question:, the Mold...ewwww... We have just enough money to get the Watergard system, so having the mold cleaned up professionaly is really not an option for us right now. I've read about some remedies, but don't know which ones really work. Of course, we won't be finishing the basement until we're sure the mold is gone, so I know we have to wait to be sure it is really dead. But, I have three small children, and I want to do this the right way.

Waterguard does NOT stop 'WATER' from coming in-through cracks & other Outside openings...it ONLY...channels/diverts water that Will Still be entering these same Outside openings. There are several ways Inside companies 'channel' the water, 1) is j-hammering the bsmt floor 2) using a baseboard along the cold joint(where floor & bottom of wall meet...both will 'divert' the water to sump pump.

So, ANY inside dewatering or drain tile method will NOT Prevent--Stop any further Mold growth...period. Only way to help prevent--stop mold is to...eliminate/stop the Water and one can Only do this on the Outside...Exterior Waterproofing.

If you are worried about mold, you should be at least as worried about Radon gas, Radon Kills MORE people every Year than drunk drivers. http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/physic.html click `n check out the Facts! Please read `n learn for your own benefit How Radon gas enters Homes...scroll to 3. Characteristics and Sources

I am NOT saying we all have high levels in our homes, but i am saying 1 Sure-fire-way to help Stop Radon from entering is to seal/waterproof cracks & other openings OUTSIDE, and seal floor cracks and a good sump lid etc.

"Radon gas can ENTER a home from the....Soil through cracks in floors and walls, floor drains, sump pumps, construction joints and....tiny cracks or pores in hollow-BLOCK Walls."

"Radon levels are generally highest in.....basements and ground floor rooms that are in-contact with the Soil."

Put the Entire-Package together here!

to STOP Water from Entering...(unless one ONLY has water coming up through bsmt-floor cracks)...to Actually STOP it from getting through cracks & OTHER Outside Openings we need to have these things fixed....Outside, Stop-eliminate the Water and you`ll Stop/prevent Mold growth on bsmt walls.

to actually help STOP Radon from Entering the same common sense applies, especially with Block Walls! You may be thinking to simply patch the crack on Block wall from inside...well, Water,Radon will still be entering the Block Walls through various Outside openings and getting into the...hollow-part...the cells, of Block walls and sealing/patching the crack(s) on inside isnt going to do you any good.

And when it comes to basement walls cracking, bowing in....most of this is because what is going on Outside against the bsmt walls....pressure, tree roots can also crack & push walls in.

Inside companies and their methods do NOT relieve this Soil-pressure that is against the Outside of basement walls, only an Outside method will help! http://www.yodergroup.com/concrete.asp scroll to 6th & 7th paragraphs!

More on hydrostatic--lateral soil pressure http://www.bobvila.com/ArticleLibrary/Task/Inspecting/FoundationFailure.html folks, take time to read and understand

So now we have 3 things Inside companies do "NOT" address....1) actually Stopping Water from entering which wld then stop mold 2) stopping further Radon gas from entering 3) stopping-relieving hydrostatic-lateral pressure that is Outside agst the wall

And let`s not forget about our insect friends, we dont hold the door open for them, they can also enter through...thats right, Outside openings http://www.mipca.org/Termites.htm

....go ahead and ASK these 'Inside comapnies' EXACTLY--How they will...

1) STOP, not Divert, Stop Water from entering through cracks `n other Outside openings in home

2) STOP mold from growing on, and INSIDE the hollow-cells of block walls

3) STOP Radon gas from entering from the SOIL into any cracks and other openings on outside of basement walls, other openings incl`g where this often are Gaps/openings where gas-line,water line enters wall, where there is often Gaps at brick ledge, openings under/around basement windows etc.

5) STOP/prevent termites & other insects from entering your home through....Outside openings Termites can enter homes/buildings through Outside openings as small as 1/32 of an inch

Centipedes? yup them lil guys too http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/centipedeHouse.htm and so on!

Now, Ask them yourself....i know some of the bs your going to hear will include "Oh, we relieve hydrostatic pressure by allowing water to come in through bottom 3-4 inches of cracks or from drilling HOLES in your block walls". Hey, THINK folks...Think! Go back and Read the Yoder and B Vila links for the REAL `n True definition of hydrostatic pressure and Where it is, and what is best to help relieve-lessen this pressure.....they don`t say by allowing water to dribble in by leaving bottom of crack open or drilling MORE holes in block wall. Shtt, if Anything....this will allow an easier and quicker way for Radon gas to enter for krsit sake. here`s another link to what CAN happen to SOME homes from hydrostatic `n lateral soil pressure http://www.riverwatchonline.org/news/winnipeg_press/07_09_05.html

more on Radon http://cbs2chicago.com/health/local_story_034173519.html

Ask these Inside companies who either 'think' they have the right answers and/or are actually and KNOWINGLY bs`g you to.....put in writing that their inside method will Stop water,stop mold,stop radon...and.......Really `n Truly RELIEVE Outside-hydrostatic & lateral SOIL Pressure.

And to think the G.Haege`s of the world recommend to homeowners on radio hm Imp show they should have an INSIDE System installed is....stunningly & unbelievably being full of shtt. He states over `n over HE Has ALL the "clear & concise" answers"......yeah sure Glen, maybe with other subjects you do, NOT on Waterproofing!

A friend of mine bought a house in similar case except it was not finished and the problems clear.

You could tell that there had been several attempts in the past and that included a inside drainage system. But it did not solve the problem.

As it was sold AS IS my friend had to spend about $6000 for foundation work before she could even close.

In her case it was done with vertical i-beams that are grouted into the floor and held at the top with bracing against the joist. Then the cracks where sealed with an epoxy grout.

In other cases horizontal anchors are used into the ground. And in worse case problems the foundation wall might need to be rebuilt.

But the most important thing was that the sunken patio was mud jacked so that it sloped AWAY from the house, ground graded away from the house, window wells raised, and gutters cleaned, and drainage was installed.

In the 3 years she has been there the only time the sump pump has run was when I tested it.

Your first step should be to find an indpendent engineer that can prescribe the fixes. The problem with "dry basement" type of places is that they sell the line that they have which may or may not be what the house needs.

Also if the problem was know by the sellers and depending on your state laws and the disclouser forms you might have some recourse from the seller.

and Connie, ANY Dewatering or inside drain tile method/system does NOT Stop what i`ve stated, plz read this. Now depending on which location or person i talk to and ask the SAME questions, i have received Different answers from the exact same company, using the same method(s)

Stop water problem, Stop mold. When a homeowner has water coming from bsmt wall or from the cold joint/where the bttom of Bsmt wall and floor meet, it is because 90% of the time the water is entering from the Outside through cracks & other openings below ground in Bsmt wall and/or direct openings Above ground, need to go outside to fix-seal these openings.

Any Inside drain tile method or baseboard dewatering system does NOT stop/prevent water from entering through these Outside cracks `n other openings.

I am running into a very similar problem. After that week of rainfall, I have had some water in my basement. It appears to be coming from some cracks in the flooring of the basement, and some cracks in the side walls. I have noticed some "staircase" type cracks in the cinderblock on the interior and some cracks in the exterior as well. Any ideas of who can fix this in the NY area?

there is No doubt imo, any area of your bsmt wall(s) where water comes from the base of wall--is cracked--mold/efflorescence on wall etc, you should have these problem areas correctly fixed/waterproofed/backfilled...Outside.

if there is access...storm trap-others,a good plumber may be able to free a blockage under the floor by snaking.This is often why a homeowner will see water coming up through floor cracks etc. If this doesn`t do the trick for 'water coming uo through floor cracks' then, you`ll need a good sump or 2, to....control the water-level Under the floor, when on heavier/loner rains `n thaws water can become blocked by other debris, accumulate/back up and rise up under the floor. a sump+ will control this water.

But it won`t stop/prevent water from entering the bsmt wall(s) through cracks & other outside openings.And it or Any Inside system will also not stop/prevent mold,radon,termites or relieve/stop/prevent lateral & hydrostatic pressure that is on the outside-against bsmt walls.call me if you like

The house I bought is a 65 year old cape with a full basement that leaks. The water enters from cracks in the walls, small holes in the floor, and in an uncemented corner of the basement.

The previous owners tried to fix the problem by installing an inside french drain system, but it looks like they applied it with bathtub caulk or something, because it isn't even held in place any more. In some areas, it was keeping water from entering the sump pit in the corner. There is evidence of a few attempts at patching and paint-on waterproofing applications as well.

Fixing the basement is number 1 on my list of things to take care of, but I want to make sure I don't waste time and money on snake oil. Everyone was recommending me Bdry, but after your BBB post, and reading into their process, it seems like it won't address the real cause of the problem. Right now, our water is very high from melting snow and some rain, and the sump pump is coming on every 2-3 minutes.

I know that I need to rework the gutters (currently they just spit out a few inches from the house) and grade the back yard to slope away from the foundation, but the front yard is about as high as it can get, and slopes down from the road.

did they claim the work, the inside french drain system, took care of problem?

any house that has cracks or other openings in the basement wall(s) should fix these problems on the Outside. Hand dig to footing, haul soil away,waterproof correctly and backfill w/peastone-gravel.

looks like ya have alot of roots there,hope the walls aren`t bowing in.

sloping the soil `n gutters diverts 'Surface water'....5-10' whatever feet away. It doesn`t waterproof the crack(s)! It doesn`t take any lateral-hydrostatic pressure or tree roots off the outside of basements walls.

sloping/gutters and Inside systems do Stop/Prevent water from Entering through the cracks `n any other Outside openings into house.

they don`t seal/waterproof these cracks etc and so it wont stop water/moisture, wont stop mold,wont stop the possibility of radon and termites entering through these same cracks. Wont help stop efflorescence either.

any part of a basement floor left open w/ no concrete provides easy access for radon,water/moisture etc. Sounds like you`ll need to address this as well. Doing something with the floor wont stop water from entering through cracks.

Thanks for the fast reply. As far as I can tell, the walls aren't bowing, but I do want to get rid of the trees sitting close to the house for several other reasons too. I've only been living in the house for two weeks now, so a lot of this is "once it gets warmer out" material.

I bought the house knowing that it had a leaky basement, and that the french drain system would, if anything, just keep water directed towards the sump pump.

The basement, in the front, is about 5-6 feet deep. If digging and backfilling would provide positive results, is this still something that I should look into doing myself? I'm not adverse to breaking my back, but for something this important, I'd almost rather pay to have it done by someone reputable.

I've decided that I don't want some 'waterproofing solution' company come to my place, slap down their 'patented fix-all powder/tile/widget' and leave me the literal opposite of high and dry. Would it be wise to hire an inspector to come and decide a course of action for me? Basically, do you have a working clone in the NY area? :)

you said, 'as far as you can tell the walls aren`t bowing in'.....is there paneling or drywall against this front area?

or you can see the walls and there is no bowing?

Hopefully the latter.

it sure is a nice area and house for ya.

JB- basement waterproofing 1 wall or more, imo, should be left to the those who understand all involved, for instance,once it is dug out it 'could' cave in...the bank side(dirt) could cave in and trap you/others underground.

Although, with 5-6' depth it is Not as 'likely'. Many other things too,so imo, hire an....honest pro.

If you/other only had 1 crack on 1 wall then all that would be needed is hand digging to footing and the trench could be easily/smartly be sloped.

i wish i knew someone for you but sorry i do not. Just take a lil time and do some homework on those you will consider for job.

IF...you ONLY want the front done, and nothing else,it 'looks' like the front is what....30 to 36' long? Let`s say 36' and the depth to footing is 5 1/2 ft.

Thats a 1 day job (hand dug), waterproofed and backfilled correctly,everything cleaned up etc,and we would charge $2,800 to $2,975. This at least gives you a good idea. 20 year transeferable guarantee on..ALL Waterproofed footage. One can Only guarantee where one works.

To me, you don`t need an inspector, you need an honest/experienced waterproofing contractor, thats my opinion. i guess what i am saying is,why spend x-amount on inspector when you can use that $ towards the cost of actual job. i am not trying to kick the inspectors, though most inspectors do Not have hands-on experience or true knowledge on this subject. Some are very good with Other matters, know what i mean?